Flare



Nov. 17, 1936. s, wlLEY 2,060,841

FLARE Filed March l0, 1934 I -fr /6 /5 /4 Inventur Samuel Wily Patented Nov. 17, 1936 PATENT GFFICE FLARE Samuel Wiley. Metuohen. N. I.

Application March 10, 1934, Serial No. 714,938

6 Claims.

(UL 10B-20) (Granted under the Por Mann s. lass, u amended Api-u so, 192s; s'zo o. G. 'mi

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Goverment for governmental purposes. without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a-are especially arranged for launching from aircraft.

V The purpose of the inventionis to provide a ilare having an adjustable time fuse for controlling the functioning of the flare at a predetermined time after itis launched from air.

craft.

A further object is to associate adjustable time fuse ignition means with a detachable closure for the container whereby a powder charge carried by the container is set ofi and forcibly removes the closure.

Another object is to utilize the forcibly removed closure to withdraw a parachute from the container.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combinationof parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed. it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a medium portion and Fig. 4 is a similar view of the lower portion.

Fig. 5 is a view looking down on the upper end of the bomb in Fig. 1.

'I'he are consists generally of a parachute 5 and a combustible signaling or illuminating composition 3. For convenience in manufacture and assembly the parachute is disposed .in a cylindrical casing 1 and the composition 3 is disposedin a cylindrical casing 8, the two casings being fastened together by means of screws 8 so that 'an integral container is provided. The screws 8 also serve to secure a rigid head I8 in the casing 8.

The outer end of the casing 8 is provided with a disk II (Fig. 4) secured by bolts I2 and nuts I3. The disk Il is formed with a plurality of apertures I4 each containing a priming charge I5 adapted to ignite a first-fire charge I5 at the outer end of the composition 6. A friction igniter I1 is carried by the disk II and is actuated by a cord I8 disposed in a tube I8 extending longitudinally within the casing 8. This cord is attached to the suspension cord 20 of the parachute. A protecting cap 2I on the outer end of the casing 8 is removed when the are is to be used. The suspension cord 20 is connected to a swivel 22 in the head I 0.

The outer or upper end of the casing 1 (Fig. 2) is provided exteriorly with a collar in the form of a ring 23 secured as by the rivets 24. The ring is angular in cross-section and cooperates with the marginal portion of the casing 1 in providing an annular channel 25 containing black powder 28.

A disk 21 closing the casing 1 is formed with a channeled marginal portion 28 having a press t in the channel 25 of the casing. The channeled portion 28 houses a piece of lead-encased fuse 29 having a blind end 30 and an open end 3i extending through an aperture 32 in the portion 28 and into the channel 25 containing the powder charge 26. The fuse is of sumcient length when it extends half-way around the channeled portion 28 as shown in Fig. 5.

A plate 33 overlies the disk 21 and has an apron 34 embracing the ring 23. The plate is rotatable with respect to the disk and is preferably centrally connected thereto by means of a rivet 35. A support 36 secured to the outer face of the plate 33 carries a friction igniter 31 to which is secured a cord or wire 38 attached to the launching apparatus of an aircraft. In transportation and storage the igniter 31 is protected by a cap 38 placed on the support.

A quick-match 40 in a-conduit 4I on the disk 21 leads from the igniter 31 to an aperture 42 in the disk and to a powder pellet 43 which is housed in a thimble 44 secured to the margin of the plate 33. The position of the powder pellet relative to the open end 3i of the fuse 28 is controlled by rotating the plate 33. A reference mark 45 on the apron of the plate 33 is readable against a time scale 45 inscribed on the ring 23.

The fuse mechanism provided by the foregoing structure is set to the safe position by rotating the plate 33 until the mark 45 is out of register with the time scale 46. In this position the powder pellet 43 is out of line with any portion of the fuse 28. The fuse is set to function after a delay interval by rotating the plate 33 to place the mark 45 in register with an appropriate designation of the time scale 48.

In operation when the flare is launched the igniter 31 is actuated by the cord which is attached to the aircraft 38. The flame from the Acuts and ignites the, fuse 29. When the fuse burns to. the-open end 3l it sets off the powder charge 2B. The gases generated upon combustion of the'powder charge forcibly remove the disk 21 and plate 33 from the casingY 1 to expose the parachute. Thev parachute is preferably connected to the disk 21 by a cord 41 so that it will be positively withdrawn from its casing either by thefforcible movement of the disk' and plate or by their dragging action due to air resistance.

When the parachute is completely withdrawn from the casing and becomes distended the suspension cord 20 pulls the cord I8 and actuates the igniter I1 which ignites the composition 6.

I claim: Y

1. A container having an annular chamber at one end, a powder charge in the chamber, a disk forming a closure for the container and having a channeled marginal portion tted in the annular chamber of the container and abovel the powder charge, a fuse disposedin the channeled portion of the disk, said fuse having a closed end and an open end leading to the powder charge, a plate centrally attached to the disk and rotatable relative thereto, an igniter carried by the plate, a powder pellet carriedon the margin of the plate, a quick-match leading from the igniter to the powder pellet, means for indicating the position of the powder pellet relative to the open end of the fuse, an article within the container and means for connecting said article to 2. A container having an annular chamber at one end, a powder charge in the chamber, a disk forming a closure for the container and having a channeled marginal portion tted in the annular chamber of the container above the powder charge, a fuse disposed in the channeled portion othe disk, said fuse having a closed end and an open end leading tothe powder charge, a plate centrally attached to the disk and rotatable relative thereto, an igniter carried by the plate, a powder pellet carried on the margin of the plate, a quick-match leading from the igniter to the powder pellet, and means for indicating the position of the powder pellet relative to the open end of the fuse.

3. A container having an annular chamber at one end, a powder charge in the chamber, a disk forming a closure for the container and having a channeled marginal portion tted in theannular chamber of the container above the powder charge, a fuse disposed in the channeled portion of the disk and leading to the powder charge, a plate centrally attached to the disk and rotatable relative thereto, an igniter carried by the plate, means for conducting the llame of the igniter to the fuse, an article within the container and means for connecting said article to the disk.

4. A container having an annular chamber at one end, a powder charge in the chamber, a disk forming a closure for the container and having a channeled marginal portion tted in the annular chamber of the container above the powder charge, a fuse disposed in the channeled portion of the disk and leading to the powder charge, a plate centrally attached to the disk and rotatable relative thereto, an igniter carried by the plate and means for conducting the flame of the igniter to the fuse.

5. A container, a powder charge carried by the container, a closure comprising two relatively rotatable members and iltted on the container so as to be capable of being removed by the gases of the powder charge, elements of a powder time ignition device carried by said members and adapted to set off the powder charge to remove the closure from the container, a parachute within the container, and means connecting the parachute and one of said members to the closure whereby the parachute is withdrawn from the container upon removal of the closure.

6. An aircraft flare comprising a container, a powder charge carried on the outer side of the container, a closure fitted on the container so as to be capable of being removed by the gases of the powder charge, and timing means carried by the closure for igniting the powder charge whereby the closure is removed.

SAMUEL WILEY. 

